EU team holds meetings with major political parties Wants free, fair and peaceful election in Bangladesh

Staff Reporter :
Free and fair elections are possible in Bangladesh under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina keeping her as the Prime Minister and sticking to the present structure of the Constitution, the ruling Awami League (AL) told it to the representatives of the European Union (EU) Election Exploratory Mission on Saturday.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, informed it to the journalists after a one and half hours meeting with the EU’s pre-election observatory team at a city hotel on Saturday afternoon.

He said, “Basically they (EU) wanted to know our pledge on one issue as the EU want a free, fair and peaceful election in Bangladesh. We also informed the EU team that a free, fair and peaceful election is possible under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina government.”
They want to see an election based on the Constitution, sovereignty, legal system of Bangladesh,” said Obaidul Quader, saying that there was no discussion on the election in any other way outside the constitution.

“They told us that they are convinced of reforming the electoral system,” the AL General Secretary added.
The EU delegation visited Bangladesh a few months before the 12th parliamentary elections amid disagreements between the two main political camps in Bangladesh over the electoral government.
They held a meeting with the BNP before holding talks with the ruling Awami League on Saturday. BNP told them that they will not go to any election with Awami League in power. Because, they think there is no chance of fair election under Awami League.
When attention was drawn to BNP’s statement, Obaidul Quader said, “We are saying about the discussion taking place with us. Why do we go to debate about what has been discussed with BNP? That’s up to them.”

He said that no issue of dialogue has been discussed with the EU.
“The delegation did not say anything about dialogue. The delegation did not even speak about the caretaker government or the dissolution of parliament,” Obaidul Quader added.
The next election will be held according to the Constitution and rules of Bangladesh, said Obaidul Quader; Which means that there will be no non-partisan government during election period.
“Like other countries in the world, Bangladesh will also form an election-time government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. Here the question of dissolution of Parliament does not arise. There is no question of resignation of the government. The question of a caretaker government does not arise,” he added.

A five-member EU delegation led by Ricardo Shelleri held the meeting with the Awami League.
AL Advisory Council Member Mohammad Zamir, Presidium Member Muhammad Faruk Khan, Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud, International Secretary Shammi Ahmed, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Information and Research Secretary Salim Mahmud, Executive Members Tarana Halim and Mohammad A Arafat were with Obaidul Quader in the Awami League delegation.